


A Much Needed Visit

by hiya_emblem (hiya_girlie)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Ashe is a sweetheart, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Petra is very cute, Post A+ Support, Post Game, Sharing a Bed, creative liberties taken with Brigid culture, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-23 00:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23402515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiya_girlie/pseuds/hiya_emblem
Summary: Petra is coming to visit Ashe for the weekend, and he’s nervous but excited. Hopefully he doesn’t embarrass himself too much...
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	A Much Needed Visit

Ashe awoke that morning to the sound of birds chirping outside his home. He had been living in Brigid for a few months now and had gotten used to their chirping as his natural alarm clock. While living at the monastery, the church bell had always chimed to wake its inhabitants, but Ashe much preferred the soft music of the native Brigid birds to the harsh ringing of the church bell. It was a reminder of his new life, one he loved more with each day.

The book that had kept him up last night had stayed on his lap where it had been when he fell asleep. He chuckled, still drowsy, and put a bookmark in it before setting in on his nightstand. Now that his only worries were rain dripping through the hole in the ceiling above his bed and what new foods he’d be making at the local restaurant where he worked, he found himself once again indulging in the long nights of reading he’d missed during the war, when sleep was hard to come by and sleeping in was impossible. 

He had been wanting to read again for a while, but importing books from Fodlan was expensive. However, he discovered his closest neighbor, Hianym, owned a large collection of books. She was thrilled when he asked about borrowing them and invited him over one day to pick one out. Unfortunately, they were all written in Brigidese, and Ashe’s understanding of the language was still basic, so she settled on loaning him a children’s book about the history of Brigid. He struggled with understanding it and was frustrated by how little he could read, but he reasoned that someday it would get easier, so he kept at it. He considered asking Petra if she would teach him to read Brigidese, but she had recently been crowned queen and it had been weeks since they’d seen each other.

Petra! He got out of bed and went to his desk, digging around for the letter she’d sent. She told him she was coming to see him on the twenty sixth. A glance at his calendar told him that the twenty sixth was today. Had he really forgotten?

He dressed quickly and made breakfast. He used the last bit of spices he had on his eggs, making a mental note to go to the village market and buy more before dinner. Giving his house a quick once over, he winced as he saw how messy he’d let it get. Living by himself was harder than he’d expected.

Ashe spent an hour cleaning his kitchen floor. Hianym had shown him how to clean the wooden floorboards without damaging them, but it was a lengthy process, involving lots of scrubbing. His hands and knees hurt when he finished, but he moved on to other tasks. He cleaned and put away the dishes from his breakfast, then wiped off the table. Satisfied that it looked nice, he grabbed his shoes and satchel. By now, the village market would be opening but not busy, so it would be the best time to go shopping. He needed more spices, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables.

His home was on the edge of town, set in a small clearing in the forest. It was also close to the beach and a nearby stream, which were prime spots for fishing. It was a fifteen minute walk to town, which he hardly minded as the path took him through some beautiful scenery. Brigid was much warmer than his old home in Gaspard territory. The plantlife and wildlife differed greatly. It was rare he went without seeing a new variety of flowers or a bird he didn’t recognize.

When the village came into view, Ashe went straight for the market, which was in the center. One villager he had become close with saw him and came up beside him.

“Good morning, Ashe!” She said, embracing him. Ceral was about twenty years older than him, standing half a head shorter than him with dark, tan skin and navy blue eyes. She and her wife, Arwa, had graciously hosted him while he built his house, and continued to house and feed his siblings, who opted to stay in the village rather than live with him.

He smiled. She gave the best hugs. “Good morning to you as well, Ceral.”

“Are you working today?” She asked. When he’d first moved, he had been shocked by how many of the people spoke Fodlanese, but it had allowed him to make quite a good deal of friends, which would’ve been impossible otherwise.

“No, actually. Today’s my day off this week.” He gestured to his satchel. “I came to visit the market. I ran out of some spices.”

“Ah, well, when you are having some time, your brother and sister are wanting to see you again. They are eager to talk to you.”

Ashe nodded. “After I’m done with my shopping, I’ll be sure to stop by.”

Ceral gave him another hug before leaving. He continued to the market, greeting those he knew as they passed by. Their earnest friendships with him were a stark contrast from the scorn he’d received from others as a thief. It was good to put that behind him and change his life.

The market was practically empty when he arrived. People mainly came in the late afternoons, when they were finished with work for the day. He found the stalls selling spices quickly and bought his usual month’s supply. The first Brigidese words he’d learned were numbers and amounts, which helped greatly when the vendors didn’t speak Fodlanese. He made sure he had a week’s worth of fruits and vegetables as well, then left the market and found Ceral and Arwa’s home. He knocked, and grinned when his fifteen year old sister, Lena, greeted him.

“Ashe!” She squealed, giving him a tight hug. “I’m so happy to see you!”

“I’ve missed you too, Len,” he replied, stepping inside. “Where’s James?”

“Oh, he’s not here right now. He’s out with his friends, I think. What’s in the bag?” She asked.

“I was just at the market, getting food for tonight.”

Her eyes widened and she smiled mischievously. “That’s right! You’re having a special guest over.”

Ashe blushed at her emphasis on the word special. “Petra’s just an old friend, that’s all.”

“Are you sure?” Lena asked, raising an eyebrow, still smiling.

Ashe nodded, eager to change the topic. “So, how’re your lessons coming along?”

“Oh, I’m still really bad at reading it, but my pronunciation isn’t completely terrible. What about you? How’s the book you borrowed?”

“It’s much harder than I thought,” he admitted. “But I’m improving.”

“You’re a hard worker, Ashe,” she said. “I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon. Anyway, Ceral has been teaching me how to sew. Do you wanna see what I’ve been working on?”

“Of course!”

He followed her to her room, where she pulled a bundle of rich red fabric off of a shelf. She held it up, the fabric unfolding into a long rectangle with a criss-crossing pattern across the middle. The sewing was a bit uneven, but he was impressed. It was definitely better than anything he could do.

“That’s great, Len. But, um, what is it?”

“It’s a blanket!” She said proudly. “I just finished it, and I want you to give it to Petra.”

“Petra?”

“Mmhm! I had to work kinda quick, since I knew she was coming today, but I think she’ll like it.”

“That’s very generous, Len. I’m sure she love it.”

Lena beamed, folding the blanket and handing it to him. “Be sure you give it to her, okay? You probably won’t see her for a long time after today and I didn’t finish it yesterday just to have it sit in your house for months!”

He chuckled. “I’ll make sure to give it to her before she leaves,” he promised.

“Thanks.”

They talked for a bit longer, although James didn’t come back before Ashe had to leave. He needed to eat lunch, clean some more, then make dinner and dessert.

He hurried home, carrying the blanket very carefully. His siblings met Petra when she offered to let them come live in Brigid and they became good friends. Petra had mentioned in her letters to him that Lena frequently wrote to him, asking for advice about cultural things she didn’t understand and although James wasn’t as close with her, he occasionally sent letters thanking her for their new lives. Ashe hoped she’d like the blanket.

The lunch he had was very simple, a vegetable stir fry he’d learned to cook at the Officer’s Academy. He wanted to leave space for dinner and dessert, which he planned on making quite extravagant. 

Ashe worked on cleaning the rest of his house, although he didn’t worry about cleaning his room, which was quite messy. He finally hung up the painting James had made him a while back. It was a beautiful seascape and seeing it made Ashe wish he could go swimming again. But he kept cleaning until he needed to start dinner.

He grabbed his fishing pole and went to the nearby stream. When he built his house, he also made a small dock here so he could have fresh fish. He caught two large herring, which were perfect for what he had in mind.

He started with the dessert, since it would need time to cool. He had never made this type of pastry before, but Arwa had told him it was served cold, so he mixed the dough, made the filling, and popped them in the oven.

Next he cleaned the fish and seasoned them before putting them on the stove to cook. The pastries finished baking, so he set them aside, trying to think of a way to cool them while he started making flatbread that would be delicious with the fish. The bread would be done quicker than the fish, so they would have both warm bread and hot fish. His mouth watered as the fish cooked, and he moved to start making a salad. As he sliced the first tomato, he heard knocking on his door.

Untying his apron and setting it down, Ashe opened the door.

He wasn’t expecting Petra to look so good just for one night. She wore her long magenta hair down, letting it cascading freely over her shoulders, and she had a bag slung over her shoulder. Her shirt was a dyed leather top that exposed a strip of midriff and left her arms, shoulders, and back bare. Her skirt and leggings were made of similar leather but stitched ornately, and she wore a pair of heeled boots that rose just above her ankles. He admired her beauty before feeling very underdressed.

“Hello, Ashe!” she said energetically, stepping forward and embracing him. She smelled like spice, and he found himself breathing her scent in deeply. “I have missed you so much!”

“Please, come in. You’re just in time, dinner is almost ready,” he said, taking her hand and pulling her inside.

Petra set her bag down by the door and removed her boots, following him to the kitchen. He gestured to the table. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’ll be finished in just a moment.”

“Do you need any help?” She asked as he checked on the fish.

He didn’t want to burden her after her long day of travelling, but he said, “If you want, you can set the table. We’ll need plates and forks.”

He helped her find the dinnerware and she set out two plates and two forks, then took a seat, watching him. He took the bread out of the oven, the air filling with the delicious scent of fresh bread. He heard Petra sigh in delight.

“It smells wonderful, Ashe,” she said.

He couldn’t tell if the heat in his face was from the warm food or blushing, but he beamed. He split the bread in half, putting one half on each plate. Then he topped each piece with a fish. Petra eyed her plate hungrily.

Ashe hurried to make the salad, slicing tomatoes and onions, then mixing them with lettuce and sprinkling some vinaigrette on top. He set the salad on the table and took his seat.

“Shall we eat?” He asked, picking up his fork. 

She didn’t need an invitation, she plunged her fork into the fish and took a large bite, a satisfied smile creeping onto her face. She tore a chunk of bread off her piece and ate it too, her smile widening.

“Ashe, this is delicious!” She exclaimed, taking another bite.

A surge of pride swelled inside of him. “Thank you.”

They ate in silence, the only sounds made being the scraping of forks against plates and Petra’s content sighs. She helped herself to a large portion of salad once she cleared her plate. She looked quite adorable when she was eating, undaunted by the size of bites she’d take. Ashe enjoyed watching her eat more than actually eating, but he still finished his fish and bread.

“I knew I could trust you to make such wonderful food,” Petra said. “Your talent is truly incredible.”

He blushed. “You’re too generous, really. I’m sure you have much better cooks at your castle.”

She shook her head. “If I am being honest, I miss the days when you would cook at the Officer’s Academy. I always enjoyed the food you made. The castle chefs are good, but they don’t put as much love into their food as you do. Your food reminds me of my mother’s cooking.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying it so much,” Ashe said. He wasn’t used to getting so many compliments, but coming from her, he enjoyed them a great deal. “You should come over more often. I’m always happy to cook for you.”

“If I didn’t have so many things to do, I would. It has felt like ages since we’ve seen each other.”

He had to agree. Though they did write letters, being face to face was much more enjoyable.

“Are you still hungry for dessert?” He asked, remembering the pastries he’d made.

“Absolutely!”

He put their used plates in the sink and got out new ones, putting two pastries on each plate. “I wasn’t sure how to make them cold, but I hope you still enjoy them.”

She bit into one eagerly, a bit of filling dribbling down her chin. She finished it and the other one quickly, and when he offered her one of his, she took it as well. When they both finished, Ashe cleared the table. 

“So, how has life as queen been so far?” He asked.

Petra sighed, and suddenly she looked so sad. “It has been very busy, and very stressful. There are so many things I am supposed to do that I never imagined. And everything is so confusing, I worry I am not doing my job well enough.”

Ashe nodded sympathetically. “It’s much different than just being a princess, isn’t it?”

“It is much different,” she agreed. “But I have many ideas, and I want to know what you think of them.”

“Me?” He asked. “I’ve never been royalty before.”

“You are my friend, Ashe,” she said simply. “I trust you with my life, and I trust your opinion.”

Such high praise! “Oh. Alright then, what are your ideas?”

She smiled, leaning towards him. “I want to create an order of knights, like the Knights of Seiros, and use them to become separate from Fodlan once again.”

The idea took him by surprise. “An order of knights?” 

“Yes. And I want your help. You know much about knights, more than I do, and your guidance would help this idea become real.”

“Oh, I only read stories about them, I wouldn’t know how to-“

She interrupted. “Ashe. You are very smart. My advisors are also smart, but when I proposed this idea to them, they were greatly confused. But you have seen knights before, and you had goals to become one yourself. Surely you know more than you think you do. That is why I want your help with this.”

Ashe sat for a moment, thinking. Being in charge of establishing an order of knights would be incredibly difficult, and it would be much different than the Knights of Seiros or any group of Fodlan knights. The people of Brigid had a different fighting style, used different weapons, and didn’t have the same type of advanced weaponry he’d seen in Fodlan.

“It could be possible,” he said slowly. “But it would take time, most likely several years.”

“I am prepared for that.”

“Then,” he said, his voice quieting, “I accept your offer, and will help you in any way to establish an order of knights for Brigid.”

She smiled, reaching to lay a hand on his arm. “Thank you, Ashe. I’m sure you will be an invaluable asset.”

Her hand was warm, and Ashe would’ve liked it to stay there, but one glance out the window dashed his hopes.

“It’s getting rather late, Petra,” he said, trying not to sound disappointed. “You should probably leave soon.”

She saw his face fall and laughed. “I forgot to tell you! I have permission from my advisors to stay here for two days.”

“Two days?” His eyes widened.

“Yes! I convinced them that I needed more than one night away from the castle, since I had been diligent with my duties.” She grinned mischievously, then added, “If I’m not imposing on you at all.”

Ashe’s heart leapt. A weekend together, with Petra all to himself! “Of course not! I’m happy to have you! Do you already have sleeping arrangements made somewhere else?”

Petra shook her head. “I do not, unfortunately.”

“Would you like to stay with me?” He hoped he didn’t sound too excited.

She smiled shyly, her cheeks turning pink. “I would like that very much, Ashe.”

Then he had a realization. “My house is rather small, though. Let me have a look around and see if I can find someplace for you.”

“You need not worry about that now, Ashe,” she said.

“Alright then. How about we move to the living room? There’s a couch we can sit on.”

The couch was small yet comfortable, giving them each space but keeping them close.

“So, Ashe, I have been telling you of my life, but you have not told me of yours yet,” she prompted. “Have you been enjoying Brigid?”

“Yes, I love it here! I work at the restaurant in town, which gives me the opportunity to meet so many people, as well as make new foods. However,” he added sheepishly, rubbing his neck, “my Brigidese is nowhere near fluent. I can barely speak a few words, and my reading is even worse.”

Petra smiled. “I understand how you are feeling. When I first learned the language of Fodlan, it was difficult for me to be speaking it. The words sounded so strange! But, just as I have learned to sound better, I’m sure you will too.”

“I hope so. It would rather awkward if I lived here the rest of my life but still couldn’t speak a word.”

She looked at him inquisitively. “Are you wanting to live the rest of your life here?” She asked.

“I don’t know,” he confessed. “I haven’t thought that much about it. But now that I’m here, it would be hard for me to go back to Fodlan without missing it. There are still so many things for me to learn about here that I plan on staying a while longer.”

“I know I would be missing you a great deal if you returned to Fodlan,” Petra said, placing her hand on his. “Although we are not seeing much of each other lately, I cherish the time we spend together very deeply.”

Ashe felt his face grow warm. “I… I feel the same way, Petra.”

She smiled and took the opportunity to lean on him. He took his free hand and draped it over her, pulling her closer. She snuggled against him instantly.

Her body was warm, like sunlight on a cool day, and she still smelled like spice. Outside, the birds were quieting down to let the crickets chirp. The room filled with a serene silence, the pair in each others’ arms, their breathing deep and even. 

Petra let out a long yawn, raising a hand to her mouth to cover it. Ashe chuckled. “Tired?” He asked.

She nodded. “All the travelling I did today was very tiring.”

“Should we go to bed?”

She yawned again and that was all the answer Ashe needed. He stood up and showed her to his room, mentally smacking himself as he realized he didn’t clean in here. “If you don’t mind the mess, you can have my bed, and I’ll just sleep on the couch.”

Despite her sleepiness, she shook her head firmly. “I would like for you to stay with me,” she said.

He froze, staring at her as the implication of her words sunk in. “You mean, you want to…”

“I want you to sleep with me,” she finished, meeting his eyes. 

Sleep together. He couldn’t. He looked away quickly and tried to suppress the mixed emotions he was feeling. “Petra-“

She took his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes. The way her brow furrowed indicated how serious she was. He desperately wanted to say yes, the look she was giving him was overwhelming his rational thinking.

“Petra, I don’t think this is a good idea,” he said finally.

Her hands fell from his face. “Am I making you uncomfortable?” She asked gently.

“No, no,” he said quickly. “It’s just… Well, it would be improper. I mean, you’re the queen, and I....”

“It is only us here.” She seemed confused.

“That’s the problem,” Ashe mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I think I am seeing,” Petra said after a moment of silence, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “You are worried about what people would be thinking if they saw us together.”

“I don’t want people to think any less of you because of me.”

She laughed as if his worries were ridiculous. “We are not much for nobility and titles here, Ashe. The only people that have titles are the royal family. Everyone else is the same, even if they are wise or wealthy. I’m sorry if this has given you confusion.”

He relaxed. “You mean, it’s not really that big of a deal to you?” He asked. It had never occurred to him that the people of Brigid would have different views on relationships than the people of Fodlan, despite the vast differences in their culture.

“If, by you, you are meaning my people, than you are correct. So long as the ruling family continues their bloodline, the status of the other parent means nothing.”

“I see.” He felt rather ignorant, and a bit foolish. “Well, I’m sorry for making such a big deal out of it. I guess I should’ve paid more attention.”

“I have gladness that you are understanding now, Ashe,” Petra said, smiling. “It would be rather silly if you felt we couldn’t have a relationship simply because I am queen and you are not.”

“I’ll admit, you have a point.” A small ball of nervousness still remained inside him, and he asked, “But why me? You’re queen, Petra. You could have anyone you choose.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Ashe, for someone who is very close to me, you are very strange sometimes. There are a few others I would consider deepening my bond with, however, I cannot bring myself to choose them when I am feeling these great things for you.”

He felt heat rise in his cheeks. “Oh.”

“So is that a yes?”

Trying not to sound too eager, he nodded and said, “Yes.”

Her eyes lit up, sparkling like the ocean. “Let me go and get my things. I’ll join you soon.”

Petra went back to the kitchen to grab her bag, so Ashe began getting ready for bed. His heart was racing as he exchanged his daywear for a night shirt and a pair of loose shorts. He had never imagined sleeping with anyone, least of all the woman he had admired and loved for years, but now that it was a reality, he couldn’t think about anything but it. He worried that he would snore, or hog the blankets, or accidentally push her off the bed. He started to panic, he didn’t know the etiquette for sharing a bed with someone, what was he supposed to do?

“Oh, goddess,” he said aloud, dread filling his stomach. “This is a mistake.” He tried not to dwell on the feeling, but regret seeped into his thoughts. He shouldn’t be doing this, Petra deserved better, this was really a mistake-

“Ashe?” Petra called, stepping back into the room. He turned around and his jaw dropped, a rush of heat spreading to his face and all thoughts of changing his mind vanished. Oh goddess, was he drooling?

Her nightwear was incredibly flattering of her figure, a detail he delighted in. The entire outfit was made from delicate embroidered silk and thin white ribbons. The top revealed much of her collar and chest with its deep v-neck as well as exposed her stomach and arms. Her bottom was a skirt with several thin layers, parted in the middle and slitted at the sides. 

It was as if the goddess herself had appeared before him, and he wanted to get down on his knees and worship her.

Ashe didn’t trust himself to speak. Anything he said would be an understatement; Petra was truly beauty incarnate. He stared at her wordlessly as she closed the door, trying to think of something to say.

She walked over to him, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. In the soft lighting, he could barely see her faint blush, but he certainly felt his.

“I am ready for bed now, Ashe,” she murmured, looking up at him. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

Emboldened, he took her hand and pulled her towards his bed. It was decently sized for a single person and it would have just enough room for them, as long as they got cozy. 

Ashe laid down, sliding underneath the blankets and trying not to take up too much space. Petra sat but didn’t lay down.

He began to worry again. Was she having second thoughts now that they were so close, or had she never intended to go through with this, only suggesting it as a joke to humiliate him should he accept? 

He glanced up at her and was surprised when she leaned down and kissed him. Her lips were incredibly soft, and as her hand slipped into his hair, he found himself kissing back eagerly. She pulled away with a smile, then laid down and curled up next to him. He put his arms around her and pulled the blankets up around them.

“Good night, Ashe,” she said softly, her breath hot on his neck.

He shivered, despite being rather warm. “Good night, Petra.”

**Author's Note:**

> Lol I wrote this back in October 2019 I think but never posted it, lmaooooooo
> 
> Petrashe is one of my top three FE:TH otps because let’s face it they’re so stinkin cute together, their supports are some of my favorite, and Petra is bae.
> 
> Thank you for reading and have fun social distancing!


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